Memories can experience errors during operation due to a number of reasons. Error-correcting codes (ECC) schemes exist to handle errors occurring in memory and increase short-term reliability (e.g. single error correction and double error detection (SECDED) schemes).
Some non-volatile memories have limited write cycles. Some non-volatile memory with limited write cycles are capable of performing writes in such a way that only the bits that change their value during a write operation are written back, and the bits that do not change their value for a particular write remain untouched (and thus, the write operation does not cause further wear to those bits). Some systems implement wear-reduction schemes, which can extend the life of a non-volatile memory (i.e., delay wear-out of the non-volatile memory).
Existing non-volatile memories either implement wear reduction while failing to consider the impact on short-term reliability (e.g., ECC mechanisms), or propose mechanisms for error detection/correction while failing to consider the impact on the lifetime of the non-volatile memory.